Tuesday, August 18, 2009

16th And Georgetown: Spending 3 weeks in Indy, including 30+ hours of LIVE coverage, what are some of your favorite moments from the Month of May?

Lindy Thackson: Wow… this is a hard one to answer because there were so many… but here are some that come to the top of my head:

The last 45 minutes of each qualifying day when teams are rushing to make the cut

My interview with Helio after he won pole position

Believe it or not, the time it rained for most of a qualifying day because we still had to fill our 6.5 hours of live television so we got to be a lot more laid back with the drivers and see more of their personalities

Hosting the 30 minute pre-race special for VERSUS… was something very special about being on the frontstretch of a quiet Speedway at sunset with just a camera crew the night before the race

Reporting from the 500 Festival Parade and watching the princesses go by (since I was one… but then I realized how old I’m getting.)

The feeling of knowing you can do 32 hours of live television!

Bringing my dog Baxter on a plane for the first time and having to put him under the seat in front of me… oh wait… I hated that.

The group that sang, “I am Lindy” every single time I walked by… every single day

Just being in my home state at a race with so much history for my family and friends … it’s tough to put into words how the month felt, but overall it made me feel even more fortunate to have this job and to work with the people that I do

16th And Georgetown: Have any fans asked you to sign anything weird? Any cowboy hats?

Lindy Thackson: Unfortunately no men have asked me to sign their chests like the Danica commercial. Seriously though, nothing weird that I can think of… Just typical stuff! I will say I am always surprised when someone has printed off a picture of me and brings it to the track to be signed because that means they didn’t just see me with a camera following me or in my firesuit and say, “Hey! She must be halfway important! I’ll get her autograph!”

16th And Georgetown: Although you've had experience on the road/street courses with the ALMS, your a rookie on the ovals with the Indycar Series. How beneficial has it been to have a veteran like Jack Arute showing you the ropes? Lindy Thackston: Working with Jack has given me such an advantage during my first year covering IndyCar. He knows his stuff and he’s extremely passionate about it. He’s helped me, while at the same time given me room to have my own style.. From day one, he has treated me like I’m his equal, which I appreciate and respect.

16th And Georgetown: You served as the 2001 500 Princess. How did that help propel you into a roll covering the Indycar Series?

Lindy Thackston: I came into it with a huge appreciation and understanding of the series. (But I think that also comes from growing up in Indiana.) Being a princess helped me know what to expect from the Month of May, specifically when it came to the weeks leading up to the actual race and all the events surrounding the 500.

16th And Georgetown: By my count, this will mark the 3rd blogger Q&A (Is it May yet? , Pressdog) you've done. You've got to be getting tired of us, correct?

I'd like to thank Leslie Byxbee of VERSUS for helping me out over the last couple of weeks with getting together all the Q&A's for Bob Jenskins, Robbie Buhl, Jon Beekhuis, Robbie Floyd, Jack Arute and last but certainly not least Lindy Thackston.

I would like to ask Lindy what city/track she has enjoyed the most in 2009? You are a "class act" and do extremely well with all of your driver interviews. Is there any particular interview you found to be more difficult than others? Do you have a favorite driver?